Space 2
8:23:08 PM Josie: Okay! Let's see now, where were we. 8:25:04 PM Josie: Oh, right. Captain Lark and her four prisoners came aboard your ship. In the night, one of her prisoners unleashed the one that was so bad he had to be sedated, and both the unleasher and Lark herself were killed. In the aftermath you managed to knock out the male humanoid prisoner, Vir shoved him back into the stasis coffin, and you opted to release the prisoner in the box. That one turned out to be a slug, which immediately took possession of Lark's corpse and is now, disconcertingly, talking to you and your engineer, a merguy named Vir. 8:25:36 PM Coil: Right! 8:25:50 PM Coil: ...so what do I call you? Or do you like the name box? 8:26:18 PM Josie: Lark: Well, I doubt you could pronounce my actual name. ... in fact, I'm not entirely certain I can pronounce my actual name. 8:26:33 PM Coil: Box it is, then. 8:26:57 PM Josie: Lark makes a face. "Please, not that. Let me think a moment, and come up with something... analogous." 8:28:09 PM Coil: This is fantastic. Vir, can you take a look at the crate this person was sitting in? 8:28:22 PM Josie: Vir: The box or the coffin? 8:29:02 PM Coil: The box. We're going to have to make it look like the alien was destroyed. 8:29:19 PM Josie: Lark: Really? 8:29:49 PM Josie: Vir peers at the box. "That should be simple enough." 8:31:39 PM Josie: Lark: You intend to permit me to live, then? 8:34:00 PM Coil: I'm in it now. I'm not going to kill you at this point. 8:34:58 PM Josie: Lark: Excellent! How very civilized. Let me see. If I recall correctly, your people shake hands, yes? 8:35:05 PM Josie: She offers her hand to Coil. 8:35:19 PM Josie: Vir, meanwhile, is examining the box, scanning it with his pad. 8:37:19 PM Coil: Coil shakes her hand. "So, do your people have a gender? Or are you whatever you're living in?" 8:38:00 PM Josie: The hand is cold, though given the recent death it hasn't quite cooled off to room temperature yet. 8:38:10 PM Josie: Lark: I don't think our concept of gender maps well onto yours. 8:39:47 PM Josie: Lark: As to what I should be called, it is customary to take some aspect of one's host's designation, so that they might be remembered. To honor them. And then a name that fits, to go along with it. Researcher? Inquirer. Quester. Ah, Stranger? 8:40:52 PM Coil: I don't know. I'm still not sure what I'm going to tell them about Lark. 8:41:50 PM Josie: Lark: What do you think would fit? 8:41:57 PM Josie: Vir: "Dangerous." 8:43:52 PM Josie: Lark: Really? ... I don't feel particularly dangerous. 8:45:47 PM Coil: If I say Lark died, they'll want the body. 8:46:00 PM Josie: Vir: We could tell them it was spaced. 8:46:27 PM Josie: Vir: ... we could tell them they all were. 8:46:48 PM Coil: Why? 8:48:18 PM Josie: Vir: If we wanted to keep them. ... any of them. 8:48:44 PM Coil: No. I mean, they'll ask us 'why were they all spaced'. 8:49:13 PM Josie: Vir looks at the android. It's the same sort of look he gives the engines, really--the nearest thing he ever gets to affection. 8:50:11 PM Josie: Lark: If I might make a suggestion? The captain did offer to reside in the hold for the duration of the journey. I suggest that you tell them she did just that, the prisoners attempted to escape and one of them tried to space the captain, but in the end... 8:50:45 PM Coil: You can access her memories? 8:51:04 PM Josie: Lark: Most of them, yes. She was a rather impressive individual. 8:51:25 PM Coil: What did the other prisoners do? 8:53:03 PM Josie: Lark: Mm. Embezzlement and tax evasion. Attempted genocide of a sentient nonproscribed species. And robbery. Er, and I am guilty of being a proscribed species. 8:53:46 PM Coil: Who did what? The fellow in the coffin? 8:54:28 PM Josie: Lark: Genocide. ... also homicide, impersonation of a Coalition officer, grand theft, larceny, robbery, multiple assaults... 8:55:33 PM Josie: Lark: ... a variety of drug charges, humanoid trafficking, android trafficking, sentient species trafficking, violating a corpse (I believe he wore it as a hat) and vivisection. 8:56:02 PM Coil: What about the girl? The augment girl. 8:57:06 PM Josie: Lark: Ah, the frightened one. White-collar crimes. Forgery, embezzlement, tax evasion and that sort of thing. All theft. Her crimes would have been considered less serious had she not been so terribly successful. 8:57:36 PM Coil: And the android? 8:58:56 PM Josie: Lark: Robbery. 8:59:27 PM Josie: Lark: In retrospect, I believe she intended to be arrested on that charge in order to allow her cohort to escape. 8:59:44 PM Josie: Lark: He may well have programmed her to do so. 9:00:38 PM Coil: All right. How's the android look, Vir? 9:01:56 PM Josie: Vir: ... undetermined. My *conjecture* is that we will be able to restore her function, but her memory is irretrievable, her personality circuits will need to be completely replaced and vital elements will need to be reprogrammed. She may be somewhat... impaired. 9:02:00 PM Josie: Lark: ... dear me. 9:02:59 PM Coil: ... I guess you've got a project, then. 9:03:24 PM Josie: Vir: Quite. It would be useless to return her to the Coalition; there is nothing left of the original... being. 9:03:49 PM Coil: That was my thought. That and we can use a third crewman. 9:04:11 PM Coil: I'd like to see the files on this coffin-guy. 9:04:16 PM Josie: Lark: Perhaps a fourth? 9:04:49 PM Coil: ...we'll see. Can you get me Lark's files on the male prisoner? 9:05:22 PM Josie: Lark: Yes, but they *are* classified, you know. 9:06:02 PM Coil: Mmm. Good point. Don't want to set off any flags. 9:07:14 PM Coil: .... also it would be wrong. 9:07:35 PM Josie: Lark: And she took an oath. A rather serious one. I should hate to... well. While I am *not* Captain Irene Lark, I *am*, ahh... the guardian of her memory, I suppose you might say. 9:07:56 PM Coil: All right, then. 9:08:19 PM Coil: Coil draws his gun, and goes over to the coffin. 9:08:56 PM Josie: The guy is still in there; heavily sedated and thoroughly unconscious. ... as far as you can tell. He does have blood on his hands, likely from killing Lark. 9:09:53 PM Coil: Coil opens the thing and yanks the guy out of the coffin, and puts a shot through his heart. 9:10:47 PM Josie: His eyes open, briefly, only to close again as he slumps to the ground. 9:10:55 PM Josie: Lark flinches; Vir doesn't. 9:11:07 PM Coil: Coil then drags him to the airlock. 9:11:44 PM Coil: ... he was guily of killing Lark and trying to kill me, at the very least. Still, spacing is not a good way to die. 9:12:13 PM Josie: Lark: Yes. With my own gun. ... her own gun. 9:12:59 PM Coil: Before we reach the space station, Vir, I'll need you to rig the airlock up so it looks like it was damaged and the cargo hold was vented. 9:14:24 PM Josie: Vir looks up from his new shiny android girl toy. ... that sounds wrong, but it's actually pretty innocent. Anyway. "How much realism will be required?" 9:15:52 PM Coil: As much as you can manage without putting me in debt to creditors. I imagine that they'll mostly be worried about you, anyway, am I right? 9:15:55 PM Coil: Coil looks at Lark. 9:16:28 PM Josie: Lark: ... it's difficult to say. People often have a large blind spot regarding themselves. 9:17:05 PM Josie: Lark: She believes... believed... no one cared much, even her colleagues. I'm not so certain. She was much better-regarded than she saw. 9:17:30 PM Coil: I mean, in regards to their investigation. 9:18:39 PM Josie: Lark: Doubtful. The one in the other container was of most concern. I was considered contained and not a threat, and the captain was relatively low in rank. 9:19:06 PM Coil: All right. 9:19:31 PM Coil: Do what you have to do, Vir. 9:21:11 PM Josie: Lark: Perhaps you ought to see to the other prisoner. ... possibly before she steals everything in your accounts. 9:21:59 PM Coil: Good point. Stay here. 9:22:03 PM Coil: Coil goes to find the catgirl. 9:22:27 PM Josie: Lark: Quite. 9:22:36 PM Josie: Where will you look first? 9:22:59 PM Coil: Where he saw her last, in Lark's quarters. 9:23:50 PM Josie: She's not there. 9:24:05 PM Coil: Bridge, then. 9:24:25 PM Josie: Are you going to sneak or stride noisily? 9:24:41 PM Coil: I think that sneaking his kind of his default. 9:24:50 PM Josie: True! 9:26:12 PM Josie: You sneak almost soundlesslly into the cockpit, where she's sitting using the computer interface. 9:27:05 PM Coil: Coil puts the gun to her head. "I've had a terrible day. I would stop what you were doing." 9:27:44 PM Josie: She squeaks; it almost sounds like a mew, and puts her hands up immediately. 9:28:01 PM Coil: What's your name? 9:28:15 PM Josie: Catgirl: ... Kitty? 9:28:34 PM Coil: Is that a question or an answer? 9:28:53 PM Josie: She flinches a little bit. "... Lou. It's Lou." 9:29:08 PM Coil: All right. What are you doing, Lou? 9:30:45 PM Josie: Lou: Changing course. I just don't want to go to prison! They torture people in there and I'm not, I'm not *strong* like the others! All I ever did was take money! 9:31:18 PM Coil: Play your cards right, you're not going to prison. There's been some complications. 9:31:53 PM Josie: Lou: ... complications? ... can you... can you put the gun down? Please? 9:32:12 PM Coil: Turn and face me, hands on your lap. 9:32:21 PM Coil: Coil takes a step back and lowers the gun. 9:32:53 PM Josie: Lou lowers her hands, very slowly, trembling a bit, and swivels the chair around, also very slowly. She flinches a little bit as she turns around. 9:33:21 PM Coil: Coil still holds the gun, but is no longer pointing it at her. 9:33:48 PM Coil: ... robot girl and coffin boy are dead. So is Captain Lark. 9:34:47 PM Josie: Lou stares at him, mouth open. (Her teeth are somewhere between humanoid and felinoid.) "You... you *killed* them?" 9:35:01 PM Coil: Of course not. 9:35:01 PM Josie: She wails "Please don't kill me I'll be good I promise!" 9:35:11 PM Josie: Lou: ... oh. 9:36:41 PM Coil: Well, I killed coffin boy, but he tried to kill me first. 9:37:25 PM Coil: The plan is to tell them you all got spaced. 9:38:30 PM Josie: Lou *stares*, big green cat slit-eyes wide. "... you're... you're not going to space me, are you? I can help you! I can do lots of things!" 9:38:52 PM Coil: No, I'm not going to space you. I'm not a monster. 9:39:16 PM Josie: Lou: ... oh. Oh, good. 9:39:36 PM Josie: She relaxes a little bit, tail lashing a bit. 9:40:36 PM Coil: Going to have to hide you when we get to the station, though. 9:41:53 PM Josie: Lou: Hide. I'm good at hiding. 9:43:56 PM Josie: Lou: I can hide anything. 9:44:17 PM Coil: And please don't embezzle from me. 9:44:38 PM Josie: Lou grins. "That a contract?" 9:44:58 PM Coil: Good with computers? 9:45:18 PM Josie: Lou: Better'n'anyone. Got into yours, didn't I? 9:46:10 PM Coil: Make yourself a new identity, and you're hired. I could use a computer person. Clearly our firewalls aren't great. 9:48:01 PM Josie: Lou nods. "Spongecake. What kind of ident? Princess? Copper? Coalition president?" 9:50:22 PM Coil: Something innocuous. The point is not to attract attention and remind the coalition that you're a feline-augment hacker who looks exactly like a feline-augment hacker who died mysteriously. 9:52:28 PM Josie: Lou: Right. You need more or just for me? 9:52:54 PM Coil: Just worry about yourself for now. 9:53:33 PM Josie: Lou: What's my cut? 9:53:39 PM Coil: ...how far did you get into my files? 9:53:47 PM Josie: Lou grins. "Far enough." 9:54:55 PM Coil: You'll get a fair cut. Don't screw over me or Vir, and you'll even get to enjoy it. 9:55:44 PM Josie: Lou: Don't hit me or use me, then. 9:57:06 PM Coil: Wasn't planning on it, Lou. If you're part of my crew, I'll treat you right. 9:57:51 PM Josie: Lou: All men say that. 10:01:59 PM Coil: I don't care what 'all men' say. I'm speaking for me. You can take the deal and stay aboard. Or once we're clear, I'll drop you off on some populated world where you can get to robbing again. It'd probably be more lucrative. 10:03:07 PM Josie: Lou eyes him. 10:03:18 PM Josie: Lou: Maybe you're just not thinking big enough. 10:03:56 PM Coil: Oh? 10:04:47 PM Josie: Lou: You used to get a *lot* more of a payday. 10:05:21 PM Coil: I used to. 10:05:44 PM Josie: Lou: What happened? What went wrong? 10:07:47 PM Coil: ... we're not discussing that right now. 10:08:12 PM Josie: Lou shrugs. "Suit yourself." She looks at the gun in his hand interestedly. "Do I get a shooter?" 10:09:26 PM Coil: No. Well, you buy one yourself, sure, but they're not standard issue, no. 10:12:41 PM Josie: Lou: ... sure about that? Whose money would I buy myself anything with? 10:13:55 PM Coil: When I start paying you, I mean. 10:14:39 PM Josie: Lou: And before that? 10:15:07 PM Coil: ... if it will make you feel better, I'll loan you a gun until you buy one of your own. 10:15:20 PM Josie: Lou: ... okay. 10:15:23 PM Josie: She holds her hand out. 10:15:37 PM Coil: Not this one. Follow me. 10:16:14 PM Josie: Lou: Sure thing. 10:17:03 PM Coil: Coil goes to his quarters and hands her the sidearm he keeps under his pillow. 10:18:34 PM Josie: She checks to make sure it's loaded and/or charged. 10:18:59 PM Coil: It's fully charged. Coil's hand is on his holstered gun. 10:19:20 PM Josie: She points the gun at Coil. "Now give me all your money." 10:19:52 PM Coil: Coil blinks. "Seriously?" 10:20:21 PM Josie: Lou grins and pockets the gun. "Nah." 10:21:03 PM Coil: Funny. C'mon, this way. 10:21:18 PM Coil: Coil leads her to another cabin. "You can stay in here." 10:21:34 PM Josie: She peeks inside, sniffing at it. "Not this one." 10:21:42 PM Coil: Why not? 10:21:54 PM Josie: Lou: Smells like water. 10:22:16 PM Coil: Coil finds her another one away from Vir's cabin. 10:22:46 PM Josie: She sniffs at the second cabin. "... better." 10:24:33 PM Josie: Lou sits on her bunk. "You let the others go too?" 10:25:01 PM Coil: Coffin guy is dead. He's getting spaced. 10:25:18 PM Coil: Robot girl is effectively dead. 10:25:28 PM Coil: Lark is dead. 10:25:58 PM Josie: Lou: ... droid wasn't very nice. Captain Bitchipants is dead? Really? Well, couldn't've happened to a nicer copper. 10:27:09 PM Coil: Oh, and the fourth prisoner is inhabiting the dead nice copper's body. So, fair warning. 10:27:35 PM Josie: Lou's face drains of color. "*What*?" 10:28:08 PM Coil: Yeah. Complicated. 10:28:16 PM Josie: Lou: The slug got out? 10:28:27 PM Coil: What do you know about the slug? 10:29:08 PM Josie: Lou: It's a parasite. It's a bodysnatching *parasite* that consumes people from the inside out while they're still alive. 10:30:43 PM Coil: Well, this one is wearing someone who's dead. 10:31:07 PM Josie: Lou: How do you know? Did you take her pulse? 10:31:38 PM Coil: If there's one thing I know, it's when someone is dead. She was dead. 10:31:51 PM Josie: Lou: You can't let that thing stay on board! 10:33:25 PM Josie: Lou: They *drink blood.* 10:34:13 PM Coil: Do they? 10:34:29 PM Josie: Lou: Don't you know *anything*? Yessssss. 10:36:49 PM Coil: Apparently not. 10:37:52 PM Josie: Lou shudders. "If that thing's here I'm keeping this gun in my hand and I'm not gonna sleep, either." 10:39:00 PM Coil: Try and make yourself undelicious, then. Don't wear low necked billowy dresses on balconies. 10:39:19 PM Josie: Lou: They suck energy too, numb-nuts! 10:39:32 PM Josie: Lou: And then they crawl into you and hollow you out until your face collapses... 10:41:59 PM Coil: Huh. 10:43:27 PM Coil: ... you hungry? 10:43:34 PM Josie: Lou: ... starved. 10:44:59 PM Coil: Coil nods, and shows her to the galley, with it's supply of space-food. 10:45:54 PM Josie: She follows him, although she does keep her gun out and ready. 10:46:27 PM Coil: Help yourself. 10:46:39 PM Josie: Lou: I only eat meat. 10:47:37 PM Coil: Coil pulls out a thing of jerky. 10:48:32 PM Josie: Lou takes it, and tears at it with her sharp little teeth. 10:48:52 PM Josie: Lou: So. What's with the fish boy? 10:50:09 PM Coil: Coil points to another container. "This is protein, by the way. And his name is Vir. He's my engineer." 10:50:46 PM Josie: Lou: So you have absolutely no problem with having someone that importnat on board, huh? 10:52:53 PM Coil: I'm the last person to judge people based on what they are or were. 10:53:16 PM Josie: Lou: And you're not worried. Fine, suit yourself. 10:53:29 PM Josie: She shrugs and hops onto a table, sprawling out a bit there. 10:56:11 PM Coil: Coil files it away for later and heads back to the cargo bay. 10:56:35 PM Josie: She stays there, gnawing on the jerky. 10:59:04 PM Josie: As soon as Coil steps into the room, someone grabs his hands and whisks him into a very capable waltz. It's actually Lark, or to be more accurate, the slug in Lark's body. The corpse's face looks a bit less dead at the moment; though it's still pale it has a fairly realistic flush. At the same time, Lark's blue-green eyes have become a much deeper shade of the color--iridescent, and very saturated. 10:59:32 PM Coil: ... what are you doing? 11:00:42 PM Josie: Lark: Testing it out, of course! This is a dance called the waltz. The captain learned it when she was quite young. Thank you for your assistance! 11:00:51 PM Josie: She lets Coil go, and bows, sweepingly. 11:01:45 PM Josie: Vir is still fiddling with the robot, some of whose guts are now on the floor. 11:02:03 PM Coil: Is it true that your people drink blood and life energy? 11:04:35 PM Josie: Lark: ... er, well. 11:06:30 PM Josie: She looks embarassed. "I did warn you there were certain elements of upkeep." 11:07:32 PM Coil: And you were very vague on the point. So, spill. 11:08:05 PM Josie: Lark: I'm not carrying any liquids. 11:08:22 PM | Edited 11:08:27 PM Josie: She frowns, a bit puzzled. 11:09:28 PM Coil: .... tell me everything. 11:09:46 PM Josie: Lark: Ah, yes, a colloquialism! How delightful. 11:11:07 PM Josie: Lark: Yes. Er. Well, it's a bit complicated to explain, but yes, I do require some vital component on a somewhat regular basis. Blood will do. Energy will also do. However, given sufficient supplies I believe I can synthesize a substitute that will be adequate for my purposes. 11:12:22 PM Coil: How long can you survive without? 11:13:06 PM Josie: Lark: Two days or so. ... the amount required wouldn't kill an ordinary humanoid, you understand. One unit, perhaps less. 11:14:29 PM Coil: What kind of supplies do you need to synthesize a non-blood non-vital energy substitute? 11:17:45 PM Josie: Lark lists off a few items. Most of them you likely have in your emergency medical gear, but there are two items on the list that are contraband, and could only be found in a hospital or possibly a specialty clinic, and then always under strict lock and key, as one can be used to make powerful explosives and the other is itself a powerful narcotic. 11:20:19 PM Coil: ...how did the coalition catch you, anyway? 11:21:51 PM Josie: Lark: Er. Well. I'm not entirely certain, to tell you the truth. 11:23:33 PM Coil: How could you not know? 11:24:05 PM Josie: Lark: I can't remember. 11:24:11 PM Josie: Lark: It's very embarassing. 11:25:46 PM Josie: She actually blushes a bit. 11:26:02 PM Coil: What were you doing before you woke up in the box, then? 11:26:52 PM Josie: Lark: ... I can't remember that either, I'm afraid... 11:27:14 PM Coil: Is that normal? 11:28:13 PM Josie: Lark: No. 11:28:47 PM Coil: Any theories on that? 11:29:38 PM Josie: Lark: I may have been injured if they tore me from a host. 11:30:53 PM Coil: So you don't know anything about what you were before you got caught? 11:31:44 PM Josie: Lark: I was me, of course! 11:33:24 PM Josie: Lark: I'm a scientist. A researcher, an explorer. 11:35:01 PM Coil: All right, then. 11:36:20 PM Josie: Lark: I specialize in biology and medicine. 11:36:22 PM Josie: She smiles. 11:42:24 PM Coil: Oh, okay. So you weren't a contract killer and forgot about it, or anything. 11:43:03 PM Josie: Lark: ... no. No, I'm fairly certain that isn't the case. I feel quite a bit of abhorrence at the idea of killing. 11:45:13 PM Josie: Vir: Good. 11:47:08 PM Coil: Coil nods. "The question is what I'm going to do with you." 11:47:36 PM Josie: Lark: Er. Well. I'm certain I could make myself useful in some way. 11:49:28 PM Coil: Lou, the feline augment might be staying as well. I'm not sure. 11:50:08 PM Josie: Lark: Excellent! The more the merrier, I always say. 11:50:21 PM Coil: Mmm. I haven't decided yet. 11:50:46 PM Coil: We might all be busy getting executed. 11:51:37 PM Josie: Lark: ... I would prefer not, please. 11:51:57 PM Josie: Lark: I have a number of useful skills I could proffer on your behalf, sir. 11:52:17 PM Josie: Lark: The good captain was quite the dancer! 11:53:33 PM Coil: That's not terribly useful. 11:53:54 PM Josie: Lark: No? 11:54:14 PM Josie: She looks disappointed. "Biological classification? An expansive knowledge of various organisms?" 11:54:30 PM Coil: We ship cargo and passengers. 11:55:16 PM Josie: Lark: Er? Painting and sculpture? 11:55:36 PM Coil: Sometimes. 11:56:04 PM Josie: Lark: I mean I can produce it. Um. 11:56:32 PM Josie: Lark: ... I'm considered an excellent singer? 11:56:45 PM Josie: She looks absurdly hopeful. 11:56:47 PM Josie: Vir snorts. 11:59:24 PM Coil: ... can you treat wounds? Gunshots, beam burns, that sort of thing? 11:59:40 PM Josie: Lark: Naturally! But that's hardly worth mentioning. 12:01:44 AM Josie: Lark: ... I can make jewelry? 12:02:22 AM Coil: The medical thing would probably be much more useful. 12:02:39 AM Josie: Lark, puzzled. "Oh, would it? Very well, then." 12:03:12 AM Coil: Yeah, we don't have a doctor on board. 12:03:26 AM Josie: Lark: Then I'm your woman! 12:03:34 AM Josie: She offers her hand to Coil to shake. 12:05:43 AM Coil: Are you? A woman, I mean. 12:06:18 AM Josie: Lark looks down at herself. "Yes, I should say so. Two breasts and, er. So forth." 12:06:50 AM Coil: I mean you, personally. Are you a 'her', because you're in a female body? 12:07:17 AM Josie: Lark: ... shouldn't I be? 12:07:36 AM Coil: I don't know how it works. 12:08:35 AM Josie: Lark: Oh, do you mean *my* gender? 12:09:19 AM Coil: Yeah. 12:09:34 AM Josie: Lark: ... I'm not entirely certain the concepts quite align, but... yes? 12:09:41 AM Josie: Lark: Why do you ask? 12:12:01 AM Coil: Just... curious, I suppose. I've never met one of your species before. 12:12:49 AM Josie: Lark: Ah. Well, we don't reproduce quite *exactly* like you do, as I understand it. 12:13:45 AM Coil: I wouldn't think so. I just don't know to what degree you take on the traits of your hosts. 12:14:50 AM Josie: Lark: Er, well. More and more over time. It could become rather awkward. 12:18:14 AM Coil: Huh. 12:18:30 AM Coil: ((How long till we're at the space station?)) 12:18:42 AM Josie: ((Probably another four hours or so.)) 12:18:46 AM Josie: Lark: It makes sense from an evolutionary perspective. 12:19:32 AM Josie: Lark: We benefit by the memories of our hosts.